Majoring in Software Engineering Essay

Software engineering has become one of the most profound spheres since there is hardly a person who does not use such kind of technology in his/her everyday life. Software developers help people to communicate, work, and even live. Apart from the great value of the profession it is very beneficial for a person in terms of financial rewards and job satisfaction.

Thus, many people choose this field to achieve their life goals. However, it is necessary to point out that majoring in software engineering can have many rewards, and at the same time, it also requires much preparation and a strong background even though some risks are involved.

In the first place, it is important to stress that contemporary software engineering companies tend to employ graduates from specialized higher educational establishments who possess the necessary skills and certain experience. Initially, various organizations could hire high-school graduates who had some skills in software engineering, but to date employers understand the necessity in highly qualified personnel (Pfleeger and Atlee 690).

Many higher educational establishments include this quite new discipline in their curricula. Contemporary successful software developer should know the most utilized programming languages and be able to use the most effective methodologies and techniques.

Professionals in this field should be good in mathematics, logical thinking and structural understanding. Finally, they should be attentive to details since this is the sphere where every point counts. Apart from vast knowledge software developers must possess the necessary experience to be able to cope with numerous tasks.

It goes without saying that such high requirements are rewarded accordingly. Professionals in this field are highly demanded on the labor market. For instance, according to The Wall Street Journal the average annual salary of a software developer usually starts at $120,000 and, nevertheless, world software giants as Google or Facebook Inc. are struggling for acquiring qualified professionals (Efrati and Tam).

Such companies are ready to motivate people to work there and develop the company. Thus, apart from tempting wages software engineering can attract potential employees by transparent opportunity to advance, job security and flexible schedule. It is a common practice when software companies give their employees certain freedom.

Thus, people can spend more time with their families which is quite beneficial for the company as well, since personnel becomes more committed to fulfill all the tasks and do even more. One of common types of motivation is promotion and software developers are likely to see the opportunities they have in this or that company.

This is also one of the most attractive stimuli to work in the field since the perspectives are clear and it does not take much time to get promotion. Another attractive feature (especially for young people) of this profession is that it suggests white-collar environment which is extremely promoted by mass media. Software developers are working in well-equipped offices and have all the necessary facilities for their effective functioning. Besides, it is quite prestigious to be a white-collar instead of working in some manufacturing fields.

Of course, any profession has its downsides and the profession of a software developer can be no exception since there are several considerable pitfalls. First of all, this is one of the fields which are developing rapidly, so people involved in the software engineering should constantly develop their skills since many innovations emerge every day (Bell 397).

This peculiarity makes the profession highly competitive since new comers can often operate more effective methodologies and techniques. So, those who choose working in this field should never stop, fortunately, employers understand the necessity of their staff development and eagerly help them introducing various types of training.

Apart from high competitiveness, to achieve good results software developers often have to work more than others, 40-50 hours a week, so they have to be really devoted to their job. Of course, it is a choice of an individual who can try to optimize the working processes and complete all tasks within the common working schedule. Another shortcoming of this profession is that it does not presuppose communication with other people.

In the majority of cases people involved in software engineering spend the most of their working hours in front of their computers with little or no communication with their colleagues due to the peculiarities of the profession: software developer work out their own programs and only some of them work in groups while testing the program.

Thus, software engineering is a fast developing sphere which promises a lot of benefits, but, at the same time, advances many demands: software developers get huge salaries and have great working conditions, but have to self-develop constantly in the highly competitive environment and put up with certain peculiarities of the profession.

However, choosing a profession young people should think not only about benefits, rewards and downsides of the software engineering, but they should take into account the great value of this field which enables humanity move on: revealing the secrets of nature and exploring the Universe, the Earth, and every living being on the planet.

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